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Envy, politics, and age
Christine R Harris1, Nicole E Henniger
1Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, CA, USA.
Frontiers in Psychology
|March 9, 2013
Summary
This study empirically tested the "politics of envy" claim. Findings indicate that while younger individuals report higher envy, political ideology is not a significant predictor of envy when age is considered.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Political Psychology
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- The phrase "politics of envy" frequently appears in opinion essays, suggesting political liberalism exploits envy.
- Despite its common usage, this assertion lacks empirical investigation.
- Understanding the relationship between envy and political ideology is crucial for political science and social psychology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically examine the relationship between dispositional envy and political ideology.
- To investigate the influence of age and socioeconomic status on envy.
- To test the hypothesis that political liberalism is associated with higher levels of envy.
Main Methods:
- A large adult sample (n=357) participated in the study.
- Participants completed the Dispositional Envy Scale.
- Data on political ideology, socioeconomic status, and age were collected.
Main Results:
- A moderate correlation was found between envy and age, with younger individuals reporting greater envy.
- A weak, non-significant correlation was observed between political ideology and envy.
- When controlling for age, the relationship between political ideology and envy was not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- The common assertion linking political liberalism to envy is not supported by this empirical study.
- Age is a more significant correlate of envy than political ideology.
- Further research is needed to explore the complex interplay between emotions, ideology, and demographics.
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